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| September 8, 2026 |
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| (Abdullah Durmaz/Getty Images) |
Widespread edtech gamification -- such as badges, tokens and reward systems -- can harm children's learning, according to a report from the American Psychological Association, which calls schools and policymakers to create more rigorous edtech standards based on scientific evidence rather than fear or convenience. The same report notes that usage is not the same thing as mastery -- and that "[s]tudents may perform well within a tool but fail to retain or apply what they learned elsewhere." The APA, which offers 10 tips for effective learning via edtech, emphasizes the importance of independent evaluations of edtech tools and recommends holding vendors accountable for demonstrating their products' educational value.
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Defining your school's vision of a successful graduate is just the beginning. Turn your vision into measurable student success with a 6-step framework that tracks future-ready competencies across every classroom. See how Otus makes growth visible. |
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| (Maskot/Getty Images) |
Mathspace has experienced a data breach affecting more than 1 million students, parents and staff members at schools in Australia and New Zealand. Threat actors exploited a vulnerability in a self-hosted Metabase instance to access internal reports, but no academic records or passwords were exposed. Mathspace advises vigilance against phishing attempts.
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| (Evgeniia Siiankovskaia/Getty Images) |
Schools often expect families to be highly involved, but many parents and guardians face barriers such as language, work schedules and unfamiliarity with the education system, writes educator Herbert Soriano Garcia. Garcia suggests that schools implement family pedagogical literacy programs to bridge this gap, and such programs can include modules on understanding grades, communicating with teachers and accessing extracurricular opportunities.
"There’s a narrative about uninvolved families that participation is simply a matter of willingness. But the problem is often a lack of access to insider knowledge," writes Garcia.
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SmartTake: Does your edtech tool offer a parents' companion?
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Artificial intelligence can measure some critical thinking skills in students but falls short in others, according to research from AugmentED, a program of the Advanced Education Research and Development Fund. The study found that AI performed best when evaluating synthesis of information and evidence strength, but it struggled with assessing counterarguments, distinguishing facts from opinions, drawing conclusions and identifying logical fallacies.
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States are encouraging schools to incorporate AI to improve efficiency, but teachers say they need more support and training to address a surge in AI-enabled cheating. Legislation in 13 states has focused on AI literacy and usage, but educators say they are devising their own strategies to address cheating, such as increasing in-class assessments or rethinking how student learning is measured.
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SmartTake: How does your company's product instruction or professional development aid educators with this concern?
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| (Narumon Bowonkitwanchai/Getty Images) |
Students showcased STEM projects at the recent Maui Economic Development Board's Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit, which attracted 400 attendees and raised $175,000 for STEM initiatives. A standout attraction was Maui High School's robo-dog, a student-built robot that not only entertained attendees with tricks but also demonstrated its practical application in environmental research. After severe flooding in Kihei, students equipped the robo-dog with a soil-sampling mechanism and deployed it in Kaʻonoʻulu Gulch to collect erosion data.
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District leaders and advocates are being called upon to take action to defend the E-Rate program amid potential FCC changes. Keith Krueger urges school districts to contact elected officials and the FCC, sharing stories of how E-rate has benefited students and operations. Resources are available to help districts calculate their funding and mobilize advocacy efforts to ensure policymakers understand the program's ongoing importance.
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Three-quarters of states have issued guidance on AI in education, but most policies do not address teachers' main concern: students using AI to cheat. Teachers are grappling with this issue in the classroom, with some questioning whether state and district policies are robust enough to handle this challenge.
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Top stories from last week's newsletter
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From guidelines to laws, teachers are left to adapt to policies around student screen time.
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A nationwide investigation reveals massive waitlists for government-funded childcare assistance, leaving low-income families stranded without essential support.
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Four student artists map out what artificial intelligence means for their communities today -- and 50 years from now.
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The Call for Participation for ISTELive 27, June 27-30 in Boston, is now open online! Submit your session idea by September 30, 2026.
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| About ISTE Solutions Network |
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| The Solutions Network a member-based community that aims to 1) connect innovative solution providers to one another to learn, explore, and share best practices, 2) engage with the ISTE/ASCD member community to gather feedback and increase the impact of high-quality learning solutions, 3) engage in thought leadership conversations and 4) provide benefits for the annual ASCD + ISTE conference, where approximately 16,000 educators, decision-makers, and vendors convene. This community is made up of edtech companies of various sizes that are interested in engaging with each other and with ISTE to discuss Edtech’s role in teaching and learning, industry trends, and solve common challenges. Members of this network can benefit from connecting with industry experts and thought leaders, as well as from gaining key buyer information and insights.
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| Product announcements appearing in SmartBrief are paid advertisements and do not reflect actual ASCD + ISTE endorsements. The news reported in SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official position of ASCD + ISTE.
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| The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off. |
Gloria Steinem,
journalist, social activist
1934-2026 |
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